Written by no less than Nick Hornby, this is based on Colm Toibin's novel of the same name (which I read only one year ago), and captures the atmosphere of that book to perfection.
Set in the early 1950s, it tells of a young woman (Saoirse Ronan, with a face on which it's easy to paint any character as required) who leaves her home in County Wexford, Ireland, to go to work in a job as sales assistant in a department store in Brooklyn New York, work which has been arranged for her by a parish priest and family acquaintance over there (Jim Broadbent). She has to leave her mother to be cared for by her similar-aged sister.
Once in America, in a ladies-only lodgings with a matriarchal, no-nonsense landlady (Julie Walters), she eventually loses her fish-out-of-water discomfort when she meets the affable Tony (Emory Cohen, with a screen presence that leaps out at you) a friendship which blossoms into something more serious. Unexpectedly called back to Ireland, she reluctantly returns, harbouring a secret. But her divided allegiances between the two places puts her in a quandary, exacerbated by an emotional involvement, and coming to a head when it's clear that the expectation is that she'll remain to live in Ireland next to her mother.
Director John Crowley, a name unknown to me, has created a small-scale but deeply effective, human-scale work which, by any justification, ought to be seen by a wider audience than this kind of unassuming film normally has the chance to view................................7.5.
I really want to see this one, and, upon reading your review and learning that the GREAT Julie Walters is in the film, I may be buying my tickets today!
ReplyDeleteYou ought to like it, Bob - though I do wish that Julie Walters had a bigger part. Every time we see her, bar one, it's presiding at the table for a meal with her renting guests, and making acerbic comments. But as a whole, the film is a gentle treat.
DeleteRay,
ReplyDeleteThis is just the kind of human drama film that I like, and that my friend Pat doesn't like (he likes James Bond thrillers). I'll check this one out and see if I can get it on Netflix. Thanks again for the review!
Ron
Yes, I reckon this will suit you down to the ground, Ron. I've read that some have been moved to tears from the very start, though I can't see why as the central character is quite emotionally repressed. But it really is a rather lovely film.
DeleteHey Ray, I wanted to see this but will have to wait for the DVD. Dont think I can sit in the cinema just yet. The actress, please dont ask me to pronouce her name was in the film The Host, one of my favourite books. The film left me cold. cold fish even. Awful. It could have done with some one like Scarlett Johansson. So as you give it such a high mark I will for sure add it to my list and under line it
ReplyDeleteSol, I'd never heard of 'The Host'. I don't think it got a cinema release here. But looking at IMDb the film sounds like claptrap (though I suppose it must have the same plot as the book) and it's being given a low average rating of just 5.9.
DeleteBut I'm certain you'll like 'Brooklyn'. It's a shame you won't be able to see it on the big screen but as it's a small-scale work I don't think much will be lost in a domestic viewing.
Hope you can quickly get back to seeing films in the medium for which they were intended. I send you continued healing thoughts.
I owe you an amends on this one. I skipped over this review of yours. I should know better. I just read Blobby's review and this film catches my attention. Thus I'm back over here to read your review that I should have in the first place. This film interests me and is now on my must see list. I never really keep up with what films are being released. I just stumble on them as I bumble along in my bearded life. Giving credit where credit is due, you help me stumble.
ReplyDeleteNo problem here, F.B. As long as you can catch this one before it's too late - and I'll be very surprised indeed if you're not pleased that you did, in which case I'll be feeling chuffed that I've pointed you to a little gem of a film.
DeleteLoved it too. I know you said it might not be in your top 3-4 movies like I'm apt to place it, but I believe you've seen quite a bit more films than I have in 2015. :)
ReplyDeletePerhaps, Blobby - this year's final tally is likely to be around 75 films, which is actually lower than some recent years, and far below the number I used to watch annually. Now saying that this film could be in my Top 10 in only that number sounds faintly disparaging and I think it deserves something better, so I'll see if I can get it into my Top 5.
Delete